Just found $1,000...now what?

[hpeer]

Suppose somehow you came across $1,000, let's say your Mom gave it to you to make your boating safer. What would you buy?

A...bigger or better anchor
B...life raft
C...AED

[Nicholson58]

Sort of depends on what you don't have and what you plan to do. Coast-hopping; passage-making; off the beaten path or ICW. Since we carry 5 anchors, probably not that. The list of stuff you ought to have is varied and usually a lot longer than 1.0 boat bucks. I think we will be into about 15 boat bucks this winter for cruise prep. and none is safety related.

[Sailmonkey]

In another 20 years I'd probably spring for the AED, for the time being though (if I didn't already have it) I'd go ground tackle over life raft. Ground tackle is in use all the time, and stands a better chance of saving your boat and maybe your life. A life raft is hopefully never used and is really just another form of insurance.

[boatman61]

I'd put it in the piggy bank towards my next boat..

[donradcliffe]

I'd use it as a downpayment on a new B&G wind instrument wand (at $1400, its one of the biggest ripoff's in boating).

[Captain Bligh]

lead life jacket for my mother in law

[Ocean Girl]

AED, if you already have the others. You'd be the "life" of the party at any anchorage (bad joke?)

[WindLove]

If an AIS (transmit) was on your list it would be the obvious choice

[GILow]

I voted for a bigger better anchor because according to CF the anchor I use is crap....

Or it's brilliant...

Or it's crap....

[Coops]

Crapulant?

Coops.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Coops

Crapulant?

Coops.

No, that's a composting head.

[FlyingCloud1937]

Go get drunk.

ONE Boat Buck will not make or break you, if the sea is calling.

What it will do is let you know if you have the perseverance to go to SEA.

L

Originally Posted by hpeer

Suppose somehow you came across $1,000, let's say your Mom gave it to you to make your boating safer. What would you buy?

A...bigger or better anchor
B...life raft
C...AED

[noelex 77]

It is impossible to answer without knowing a lot more details, existing equipment, cruising area etc.

If like many cruising boats you anchor a lot, dragging and damage are common. However loss of life and even injuries are rare. (I only know of one fatality caused by a dragging boat and that was several years ago)

It is very difficult to equate the extremely rare instances where a life raft raft, or AED may be needed, but the consequences of not possessing the equipment is likely to be fatal versus the risk of dragging, which is much more common, but the risks are normally confined to equipment damage.

I suspect your mum would more worried about you rather than the boat

[hpeer]

Yeah, I know its a flawed survey.

But....I came to the survey after reading some life raft threads and too many anchor threads.

IMHO, given the age of the average cruiser, I think that the AED will more likely be used than a life raft and probably represents a better life saving value.

The anchor probably has little chance of saving your life, but a far greater chance of saving the boat. Personally I voted "anchor" because I just spent a bunch on one, so it's what I did.

I do think it is an interesting way to look at how we evaluate risk.

[Stendecian]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is an AED? Sounds somewhat explosive